Inspiring the next generation of doctors in Wales

5 March 2016

Aspiring doctors have been given an insight into
what a career in medicine has in store at a one day event held at Cardiff
University.

The MedWales
conference brought together 200 Year 12 students from across Wales to find out
more about what medical training involves, with information on the journey from
being an A-Level student through to becoming a foundation doctor, and beyond.

Part of Cardiff University’s Step Up scheme to encourage young people from all backgrounds to
consider studying at university, the annual conference helps to foster home-grown
talent and inspire the next generation of Wales’ doctors.

Now in its 15th year, MedWales has seen as many as 3,000
sixth-formers and college students experience what a degree in medicine has
in-store. Unlike others, the event is free
of charge and includes information on applying to medical school, together with
tips on how to write personal statements and prepare for interviews. Welsh-speaking
students were able to hear about the opportunities to study some of their
degree course through the medium of Welsh.

Through a range of hands-on surgical and clinical
skills workshops, including a demonstration of keyhole surgery, the conference
provided a real taste of life as a medical student. Attendees were given the opportunity to meet
with current students, and graduates now working in the diverse world of
medicine. Parents and guardians were also able to find
out more about the finances involved in studying medicine and have the chance
to quiz a panel of students on their experiences at Cardiff.

Junior Doctor Katerina Walach from Rhymney, who
attended MedWales previously, said: “It
was the Step Up scheme that got me excited about university and help me prepare
to enter Medicine. I joined the scheme when I was 17 and loved attending the
numerous event, from MedWales, to the Summer School, Open Days and Roadshows…..
you name it, I went to them all! The experience of this opened my eyes to the
requirements of pursing a university course, making the necessary contacts
along the way and having real practical hands-on experience I truly don’t think
I would have been able to do elsewhere”

Speaking ahead of the conference, Professor David
Wilson, Chair of Cardiff University’s Medical Admissions Group, said: “A degree
in medicine can lead to a rich and rewarding career, whether working in
front-line services, in the community, or in ground-breaking medical research. Whether
they hope to become surgeons in Swansea, GPs in rural Wales, or medical
researchers, I hope that this weekend’s event will inspire students from across
Wales to consider the range of skills that studying medicine can provide, and
to realise the exciting opportunities that training and working in Wales has to
offer.”